Selling account I haven't used in 2 years was hacked, listings and ad campaign made.

[fxfdi2ug]

I have already reached out to the help email for etsy, but haven't got a response yet. 
So my selling account that I haven't used in about 2 years for art commissions was hacked earlier this month. The only way I had found out was through and email saying somebody in California on an Android had logged in and changed my password. I saw this email kinda delayed, but as soon as I noticed it I had changed the password to my account and left it at that. I have been working like crazy so I haven't had much time to look into my account and see if the hacker messed with anything but I had gotten an email today saying an ad campaign of $25 was started today and then immediately got emails saying I had listings removed for violating policy guidelines, so I went into my account and found out when I looked at my account this person who got into my account had changed my bio and created a bunch of really scammy listings for some stickers and trying to redirect people to this beeskid website. I took screenshots of everything and emailed it to etsy. Out of curiosity I looked and it turns out a bunch of other otherwise long inactive selling accounts were hacked by this same beeskid place and their bios and listings were all changed to the exact same thing that mine was. I want to close my account but I can't because etsy is saying I owe them for listing and advertising fees and I absolutely refuse to pay for this hacker's actions! Thankfully nothing has been charged to my bank as the card and stuff I have on there expired 2 years ago, which shows how inactive my selling/buying has been on etsy since I moved to fiverr a long time ago as it's better for artwork commissions. 

[ChristmasIsLove]

I assume you found this Help article, but in case you didn't:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015654008-What-to-Do-if-You-Suspect-Fraud-in-Your-Etsy-Ac...

There was a report from another shop a couple days ago that sounds like the same fraudster. You'll have to wait until Etsy gets back to you. This forum is peer support. We're just other sellers, so really can't do anything to help sort out the billing.

[hopeandjoystudios]

Etsy needs to Google that bio and go in and shut down every one of those shops,

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

This is a good reason for sellers who’ve left Etsy to close their inactive shops. 

I hope you get it all straightened out. 

[PrimFun]

Exactly.  Sellers abandoning or not selling on Etsy show up as vacant shops and hackers are finding it easy to maneuver to get access.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@PiecesofMeCardsnMore I have often seen advice similar to yours but I have a question. Obviously, we have seen quite a few reports of "empty" Shops / Shops which have not been active for some time being "hi-jacked" by "hackers". Sometimes the financial / log in information is changed. Other times the "acker just seems to add Listings and changge the Announcement to direct Buyers to a website. 

My question is why are "empty"/ "inactive" Shops more vulnerable to this type of "hacking" than others? How would a "hacker" identify these Shops? Why? Logic would suggest to me that an "empty" / "inactive"Shop would be less visible than an active Shop will lots of Sales.

I can understand the fact that an 'empty" / '"inactive" Shop may be less likely to quickly detect a "takeover", but an "empty"/ "inactive" Shop would also be highly unlikely to attract enough attention to make the "takeover" profitable?

What is the motivation behind these "takeovers"? I just do not understand!

[PlatypusDream]

Hackers may have been banned from using Etsy already by selling counterfeits, resold mass market items or IP infringing goods.

There are many, many former shop owners who come to Facebook crying about being shut down for just those things... and just as many "helpers" who offer to get them back into Etsy... for a fee.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@PlatypusDream Hi!! Yeah. I "get" that but still do not understand how and why legit "empty" / "inactive" Shops are the target? Perhaps it is just a completely random coincidence that the Shops we are hearing about are all "empty"/ "inactive". I would have thought the details of these Shops would be more difficult to find than active Shops? I "get" the motivation behind trying to "hi-jack" a Shop, but I just do not understand why these Shops have been targetted. But, then again, I do not understand much about the  "darker side" of the web!!

[BlackCatTheory]

They put up info about their website, and list items but say "buy from our website only and get 50% off" They also say items purchased on this site will be cancelled. Unused stores are perfect because usually no one will notice and their "ads" will stay up longer. If they did it to my store, they would last until 8am when I log in. What I don't understand is how they find the stores. How do they search out inactive stores.

[Former_Member]

@CarpetCollection - If a shop has been inactive for a number of years chances are the shop owner will not be monitoring their shop. As its been abandoned a hacker who has been banned from Etsy could squat in the shop and not be noticed. - Just guessing.

[NostalgieCT]

They can find these shops easily enough by searching for names. When I first came to Etsy I thought I'd go with something other than my shop name and found a lot of the names I would have liked to use belonging to long abandoned shops. Most recent activity 2010, 2012 or 2015. The owners likely don't have the same email or contact information. Easy takeove.r

[TinTeddy]

I suspect it would be pretty easy to search for inactive shops.

Sites like eRank can analyse sales numbers, so the information is publically available.

The hackers look for abandonded shops as if they tried to hack ones that were being regularly looked at, their scam would be detected very quickly.

[PrimFun]

Hackers have interesting ways to get control.  They can contact Etsy and say they lost the password and could they get a new one.  Same with getting help on changing bank information.  Etsy none the wiser if the identity has been stolen.

That's one reason to close down the shop.  Etsy should make it mandatory if one plans on no longer selling here. 

Also information can be sold to takeover a shop. 

Empty shops are just easier.  But open shops have also been subject to this as well.  It could be a case of identity theft again, or someone obtained the seller's information, or just plain hackers luck.

It's a good idea to use 2 factor or change password to a more complicated one.  One thing is not to share the password with anyone.  Keep any written down ones locked away from prying eyes.  It's a nuisance.

The other is to have a plan in place in case it does happen. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@fxfdi2ug 

go and change your password again, set up 2 factor authentication,

shut off the ads, and delist the items

remove your credit card from file, and check the bank account number isn't someone elses.

.... unless your password was easy to guess, check your devices for keyword hacker viruses

I hope etsy gets back to you quickly, but they are not known for that, so please do everything else you can.

[KariKustom]

I just had this happen also. You can't remove your bank account. I sent an email to Etsy. I can't even close the shop